Loki, Mare-Maiden
by Lokishadowgirl
Summary: Loki has vanished after an incident with a disguised rock-giant builder and his powerful stallion, Svadilfari. Odin and Frigg can do nothing, though Thor in unconvinced. His friends hear about a mysterious 'mare-maiden' who has been stealing from Volstagg's estate and go to find her. When they do, they could not be more shocked. Rated M for suggestions of rape and depression.
1. Chapter 1

This is a combination of Norse Mythology, Marvel's Thor and my own crazy imagination. Rated M for suggestions of rape and post-partum depression, truly heavy stuff, so be warned. Anyway, this is my version of Loki's first child, Sleipnir's, birth. (Frigg is spelled without the 'a' because that is how I have always seen it spelled, I do not like the way Marvel 'feminized both Frigg's and Hel's names by adding 'a's). First story in my series about Loki and his family.

It was approaching one year. Over one year since the strange mason had appeared, offering to rebuild the wall around Asgard. Over one year since the builder, with the help of his remarkably strong stallion, Svadilfari, had the wall nearly completed within the designated six months. One year since the Aesir were almost forced to hand over Freyja, goddess of beauty, love and fertility, the Sun and the Moon over to the mason as payment for the wall. One year since Freyja, the Sun and the Moon were saved from that fate by a mysterious mare that distracted Svadilfari and lead him away to where even Heimđall could not find them. One year since the enraged builder was so infuriated that he revealed himself to be a rock-giant, one of the Aesir's enemies from Jotunheim. One year since Odin struck the giant down with Gungnir.

Lastly, it was approaching an entire year since Loki had vanished, and Thor was becoming very concerned. He had pleaded with his parents to allow him to look for his brother, but Frigg had attempted to scry for him and saw nothing. He was hidden from her gaze, and Heimđall's.

Odin had convinced Frigg that Loki could take care of himself, and there was no way of finding him if he did not wish to be found, Frigg had agreed.

Thor, however, was not so compliant. He had thrown a tantrum not at all becoming of a prince who had recently come of age. Smashing dishes and punching walls –leaving rather impressive dents- his behavior had caused his father to banish him to the training grounds to cool his head.

Gritting his teeth and savagely beating a training dummy, the prince really did try to calm himself, but it was not easy. His baby brother was Norns-knew-where and both Odin and Frigg claimed there was nothing to be done. _Kindaskitr*, _Thor thought angrily, _there is _always_ something that can be done._

"Goodness Thor, what did that poor dummy ever do to you?" a voice said behind him.

"I am in no mood for your jests Fandral," the prince growled without turning around.

"Then perhaps you are in need of a diversion," Sif said. Thor stopped, perhaps a distraction with his friends was exactly what he needed.

"What sort of diversion?" he asked, turning. Behind him stood three of his closest friends, Sif, Fandral and Hogun. It was Hogun who answered him.

"Volstagg says he needs our assistance with a 'mare-maiden' that has been stealing from his storehouse."

"What does he want us to do?"

"He wants us to capture her," Sif said, "Apparently, what he's seen of her doesn't look very healthy. Our task is to bring her to him so he can help her." At this, Thor raised an eyebrow. "Well, Sigrid wants to help her, Volstagg just wants her to stop taking his food."

Thor smirked, that made more sense. Sigrid was Volstagg's wife and the more likely of the two who would want to help the maiden. "Very well," he said, "I shall accompany you in this venture."

The other's grinned and they set off to Volstagg's estate.

:::Off to Volstagg's house, yay:::

When Thor and his friends arrived at Volstagg's home, they were greeted first by the family's large wolfhound, Virdingr, a toddling child second and finally by Sigrid herelf, who held an infant in her arms and a third child in her belly. She smiled warmly at them and welcomed them inside.

"I am glad you are here. I am worried about the girl. She seems to be getting more and more ill, spending less time in her mare form and more in her Aesir form. I believe she may be too tired to change," the woman said, leading them into the sitting room where her husband sat by the fire.

"Thor! Finally decided to stop sulking and join your friends in this quest?" Volstagg exclaimed, taking the infant, Friđur**, Sigrid handed to him. She then placed the toddler, four-year-old Hallkel, on a blanket surrounded by soft toys and told her husband that she would show them where to search for the mare-maiden. Volstagg looked as if he wanted to protest, glacing at his wife's very pregnant belly. One look from her, however and he changed his mind. Instead he nodded.

As she led them outside, Sigrid told the warriors, "I must apologize for not offering you refreshments, however I would like to find this girl as quickly as possible."

Flashing his winning smile, Thor assured her, "This maiden has gone much longer than one afternoon without snacks, I am sure we can survive one."

"Well, perhaps Volstagg cannot, but he isn't here," Fandral quipped making the others chuckle. They stopped at Sigrid's vegetable garden.

"The girl has been taking some of my crops as well as grain and dried goods from the storehouse. Not enough to be all that noticeable and certainly not enough to last the seven-or-so days between her visits. I can always tell though," Sigrid explained.

"Have you seen this maiden?" Thor asked. Sigrid nodded.

"Yes, though only glimpses, for she is quick. However she keeps her face shrouded. Even if I did get a better look, I would not know what she looks like. I can tell she is in bad health, for her mare form has no meat on her bones. She may be injured as well, for I have found traces of blood where she has walked."

"How do you know this girl and the mare are one and the same?" Thor asked, the others nodded as they were all thinking the same.

"Because I have seen her change," Sigrid answered, smiling as the warrior's eyes widened in wonder, "I saw her in her maiden form as I was watching from the window. Virdingr got out and the girl ran, startled. As she fled, her form shimmered and changed into that of a black horse. Even then, about a month ago, she was skinny, her coat dull and her mane and tail were tangled. She looked truly awful."

"Which way did she run?" Sif inquired, and Sigrid opened her mouth to answer when she spotted something.

"There!" she cried pointing, and the warriors spun around to see at the edge of the forest surrounding the home, was a young girl.

*Kindaskitr - sheep shit, usually used as an insult, I used it as a curse, creative license like a BAWS

**Friđur- a primitive Scandanavian name meaning 'love and peace' or 'protection and defense'.

Yep, leavin' you with a cliffy. You love it. AND FOR THE LOVE OF LOKI AND HIS BABIES, REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

Here's another chappy for ya, just cause I have no other life, soooo REVIEW AND MAKE ME HAPPEH! (I can always find another hobby you know) By the way, Loki is the equivalent of sixteen (underage pregnancy being another reason for the M rating), Thor and Sif, eighteen, Hogun twenty, Fandral seventeen and Volstagg about thirty.

The girl, who was perhaps mid-teens, stood there as if frozen, and staring at them with wide eyes. The warriors stared back, taking in her unhealthy appearance. Sigrid had been right, the girl looked awful. What they could see of her face –what was not shrouded in a tattered shawl- was sickly pale, almost gray. The dress she wore hung off her small body like rags on a skeleton. She did not seem too steady on her feet either, which were bare, cracked and bleeding.

Before Thor or his friends could move, the girl turned and ran. The five watched as her form wavered and grew. By the time she had become a mare, they could only catch the slightest glimpse of it through the trees.

The prince was the first to come to his senses, setting off after the horse at a run. His companions followed soon after, Sigrid stayed behind.

As he ran, Thor noticed the blood Sigrid had mentioned and pointed it out to the others, who nodded. Soon the young prince noticed a cave up ahead and heard a stream nearby; it was the perfect place to camp. Apparently the mare seemed to think the same because a moment later, she rocketed out, charging straight at the warriors. They were surprised at this strange behavior, at first. However they soon saw the reason in the form of a foal, cantering in the opposite direction. The moment it was out of their reach, the mare turned and was soon out of sight.

The four stood there, stunned. Could that mare be the foal's dam? But, she seemed so _young_, not at all old enough to be a mother. Thor did not like the idea that was forming in his head about how the little one came to be, but he had to put it out of his mind as Hogun spoke.

"That foal… it had eight legs." The others spun around, incredulous.

"_Eight legs? _Are you certain?" Fandral asked in disbelief, Hogun nodded.

"Well, if it was not clear before, it most certainly is now," Sif said, "That is no ordinary horse." The other's had to laugh. Sif turned to Thor.

"So, what shall we do now?"

"We explore the cave," the young man answered immediately; "we may find some clues about this girl."

::OMGWTFudgemuffin, what will they find?:::

Within the cave, it was surprisingly homey. Obviously the girl had been living there for quite some time. There were three makeshift beds, all made of straw and grain sacking. One appeared to be for both mare and foal, one which was just big enough for the girl in her Aesir form and… a wooden crate made into a very nice cradle.

"It looks as if the foal has the same ability to take another form as its mother," Fandral commented, "unless there's a baby around here, but I doubt it."

"Hmmm…" Thor looked thoughtful. The cradle was made with straw and grain sacking like the others, however it was also lined with soft rabbit skins and an expertly stitched blanket made of the same material was draped over the side.

"She must be pretty good at setting snares, to get so many skins," Sif said.

"Looks like she's been looting garbage as well," Fandral commented, indicating to the many broken tools and cooking implements arranged into neat rows and piles. A couple stacks of clothing lay in one of the dryer corner of the cave, one for the girl and one larger pile for the child. The mother obviously took better care of her baby than she did of herself, the child's clothes were soft, good quality. Her clothes were rags.

Thor, Sif and Fandral were examining the different items the girl had salvaged, when Hogun spoke from the back of the cave.

"I think you three should see this." He was holding a sack, full of rags. Many of them –though they appeared scrubbed- were bloodstained.

"Is this… her blood?" Fandral said softly.

"Perhaps it is her monthblood," Thor suggested, Sif shook her head.

"It is too much, I have known women to bleed heavily, especially after childbirth, but there is too much for that to be the case here," she said. (Fandral made a face and the young woman promptly smacked him upside the head and told him to grow up.) She continued by saying, "Hogun did say the foal had eight legs and its mother is very young, perhaps it was a difficult birth."

"That foul was at least a month old, for the girl to still be bleeding… it is no wonder she looks so terrible," Hogun said. Thor nodded solemnly.

"We need to find her, as quickly as possible," he said, "Sif, take some of the sacking from the beds, we will need Virdingr to track her and her child." The young woman nodded and they set off back to Volstagg's house.

:: Irish wolf hounds? BIG. ASS. DOGS.::

Sigrid was horrified by their story. "She has a _child?_" she exclaimed.

"It would seem so," Thor said.

"If I had only known…," the woman whispered. Volstagg placed a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder, the other arm holding Friđur.

"My dear, do not blame yourself," he said, "I am sure it was the girl's intention for no one to know of her child." Sigrid nodded.

"You… you said the foal had… eight legs?" she inquired.

"Yes," Thor answered her, "it is Sif's theory that the girl received her injury during birth because of that fact and because of the girl's young age."

"That would make sense," the mother of two agreed, "eight legs… and at her age, she could not have been more than sixteen…"

"Yes, I… I have had thoughts about how this child came to be and they do not give me comfort," the prince said, eyes somber.

"You think she may have been raped," Sigrid said softly. Thor nodded. The woman sighed, and then said, "You wished to borrow Virdingr? To track them?" Sif nodded.

"Yes, we have brought some of the grain sacks that they used as bedding, so if you would allow us-"

Sigrid did not let her finish, "Of course! Darling, go with them," she said, turning to her husband. It almost sounded like a request, but Volstagg knew full well, his wife was just short of ordering him.

"Yes dear," the man conceded, it would do no good to argue with her. Also, he too was worried for the girl. After all, parenthood was not easy, even with Sigrid by his side. He could not imagine how hard it was for the single girl, on her own, sick and malnourished.

::Off to retrieve the 'mare-maiden'::

Outside, after letting the wolfhound sniff the sacking and commanding him to 'seek', they were off. Virdingr followed fresh the trail quite easily, which meant that Volstagg and his young companions had to run after him.

After passing the girl's cave, it did not take very long at all for them to hear the sound of a wailing infant and moments later they found it and its mother in the hollow of a large tree. The girl –who was unconscious-, had curled her body around the baby.

Volstagg could not take the child from the girl's arms, so instead he opted to lift both mother and child from the hollow.

"Thor, take the child," the man said, "I shall carry the girl."

The prince, however, was not listening. The girl's shawl had slipped and Thor could see her face clearly. For a moment, he just stood and stared, his friends looking at him in confusion. Finally, he spoke.

"Lo-Loki?!"

BWAHAHAAAhahack *coffcoff* I know, I am SOOO evil. Boohoo. Anyway, if ya wanna know what happens next in a hurry, I suggest you REVIEW! (Pretty please with loki-horns on top X3)


	3. Chapter 3

Thank ya'll for the faves and follows, however I kinda need actual feedback (you know, WORDS) cause imam commentwhore and if I don't get any I start questioning myself worth, no pressure. ANYWAAAAY, that's enough angsting, instead, I'll give ya more incentive. If I get 10 (maybe that's too ambitious) okay FIVE reviews I'll add a little preview to one of my other fics for you. Howzzat sound? Well, here's your chappy.

The others stared a Thor. "Loki? What are you talking about?" Volstagg asked him. The prince bit his lip, unsure what to tell them.

"Loki once showed me an ability of his that allows him to take the form of a woman," he said. It wasn't exactly a lie; actually, he had witnessed his brother's ability by accident. Several years ago, when Loki was just discovering his propensity toward magic, Thor noticed he would disappear every few nights. So one night Thor awaited Loki's return from wherever he was going in the younger prince's room.

A while later, the person who crawled through the window was not a boy, but a pretty young girl with ivory skin, ink black hair and bright green eyes. The eyes went wide when she spotted Thor, and then narrowed as she asked what he was doing in her room. Thor pointed out that it was his brother's room and she answered that she _was _his brother ("you dolt") and before his eyes, the girl became a boy.

Loki had then explained that he had been sneaking out in order to attend magic classes with the girls his age as boys were not allowed to take part in the lessons. Mother could only spent so much time teaching him, as she had her duties as queen.

Thor had promised never to hinder his brother. He had also promised not to tell anyone.

"If… if that's Loki," Fandral stammered, uncertain, "does… does that mean that child is… your _nephew?_" Thor shook his head, openmouthed.

"I… I do not… know," he said, walking slowly forward and taking the child in his arms. The infant stopped crying and looked up at the prince with big, hazel eyes. Although he did not look much like Loki, as his eyes were hazel and his hair was brown and curly, there was something in his expression that reminded Thor of his younger brother. "I suppose he is," Thor murmured, "but… why would he hide something like this?"

"Perhaps he was worried what others would think of him," Hogun suggested.

"Since when has Loki cared about what others thought?" Thor retorted.

"Thor, this is not some _prank_! He has had a _child!_" Sif exclaimed. The baby started crying and the girl –Loki- stirred. Before the elder prince could speak again, Volstagg cut in.

"We can continue this later, right now it is imperative we get Loki home and in Sigrid's care."

The others turned to him, looked at the person in his arms and nodded. Volstagg called his dog to heel and the left, back to the estate. Now and then, Thor would look at the babe in his arms, and wonder.

:::Loki's a mommy and Thor's an uncle, hoo-weee, this gettin' weird:::

Sigrid already had a bed made up and a spare cradle for the child. She was stunned when Volstagg told her the girl's identity, but not so much to ignore Loki's child when he began to wail.

"He is probably hungry," she said, holding out her arms, "give him here and put the g-, put Loki on the bed."

Both her husband and Thor complied. As Volstagg placed the younger prince on the bed, covering him in blankets, his wife took the infant in her arms, bared her breast and began suckling him.

Thor, Hogun and Fandral all looked a little uncomfortable, so Sif, after muttering "For the sake of the Nine!" shoved them out. Before closing the door after them, she said, "We will let you know when he awakes. And Thor," the young man looked at her, "fetch your mother, she should be here." He nodded and Sif closed the door.

:::Loki gettin' a well-deserved nap:::

It wasn't until several hours later and the sun had set that Loki finally woke up, and the moment he did, he became frantic.

"My baby!" he cried, voice shrill, "Where is he?" A calming, gentle voice came from beside him.

"Here, my son, your child is all right," Frigg said, setting the child in his arms. Clearly relieved, Loki seemed to deflate, gazing lovingly at the babe.

"Darling," the queen began gently, "you had us rather worried." Loki looked confused.

"I sent letters, telling you I was safe, did you not get them?" It was now Frigg's turn to look confused.

"We received no letters, love."

"But I, I sent them, I know I did." He sounded upset.

"I believe you, perhaps they were lost," the woman said gently. Loki looked unconvinced, so Frigg changed the subject.

"Does my grandson have a name?"

"Sleipnir," the prince muttered, and the queen smiled.

"'Slipper'?* How appropriate for an eight-legged foal." Loki looked at her.

"How…?"

"Your brother told me," she said, and as if the mentioning of the elder prince had summoned him, Thor burst through the door.

"Loki! You are awake! My brother, you had me worried!" At the sight of his big brother, Loki burst into tears and Thor looked stricken. "Loki… what?"

"I'm s-sorry Thor," the younger prince sobbed, "I d-don't know what is-is wr-wrong with m-me."

Thor looked at his mother, helplessly. "Should… should I leave?" he asked quietly. Frigg nodded slowly.

"I think that would be for the best," she said, softly and Thor left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Loki simply cried and Sleipnir awoke and joined him. _Norns child, _the queen thought, rocking them both, _what happened to you?_

*Sleipnir actually means 'slippy' or 'the slipper' go figure, I think its adorable and its something a young, clever parent would name their kid.

Aaaaand, that's the end o'that chappy. Hope you enjoyed. Remember, if you don't review for me, REVIEW FOR LOKI AND HIS LITTLE SLIPPER BABY!


	4. Chapter 4

Kiiiinda disappointed at the lack of reviews… seriously, 5 faves 11 follows (yay) but not ONE actually comment. At the risk of sounding like a complete mewling quim, I almost fell like I have friends when I get reviews. *weeps* well, since I got NO reviews, you guys don't get a preview of my other fics. (seriously, not even ONE WORD) even if its "OMG you suck go die in a hole" I'd be happy.

Loki ended up crying himself to sleep, and it was no wonder. After the year he had, he was absolutely exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally.

Although Frigg could know nothing of Loki's ordeals, she knew that the best thing for both her son and her son's young child, who she lifted gently from Loki's arms, was to get them to the palace. She turned as the bedroom door opened yet again, this time more softly. It was Sigrid.

"How is he?" she whispered, Frigg looked at her son.

"I do not know," she said, honestly.

"I am sure you wish to take them home, if… there is anything I can do, do not hesitate to ask," Sigrid said. Frigg smiled warmly.

"That will not be necessary, my dear," she said, "We have plenty of servants and wet nurses to assist us. You have your own children to take care of as well. I give you my profound thanks on behalf of myself, my son and my new grandson."

"It was my pleasure," the younger woman answered.

:::Loki an' his baby are a-goin' home:::

When Loki next awoke, he found himself in his own bed, in his own room, surrounded by his family. Thor stood next to Frigg, who sat holding Sleipnir. Odin stood on the other side of the bed, hands behind his back.

At the sight of his baby in his mother's arms, Loki broke down again and –to his horror- was unable to stop. Frigg, handing the child to Thor, hurried to her son and wrapped her arms around him.

"Loki! Love, what is it?" she said gently. Loki tried his best to control himself, but to no avail.

"I-I am s-s-sorry," he managed between sobs, "I c-c-can-n-not s-seem to-to st-stop cr-cr-crying!"

Frigg gave Thor and her husband a meaningful look over Loki's head. They nodded, Odin taking his grandson from his elder son's arms, left the room, giving his wife and younger son time alone. Once they had closed the door, Frigg, who was rocking her child, spoke.

"Loki, some wo- some people experience a… a sadness after childbirth. It is because of the changes that the body goes through that this happens. It is nothing to be ashamed of, all right?" Loki nodded, and just cried.

Yup, short, I know. If ya want longer updated, PLEASE review! T^T


	5. Chapter 5

First and foremost, I would like to apologize to my (probably few now) readers for my (insufferably bitchy) behavior. msgone pointed out to me that my (empty, the chapter was short because I hadn't gotten any farther in my story) threats were not the way to go about get readers, let alone reviews, for which I must thank him/her (?). I realize I was being a complete twat and for that I am sorry. In my (feeble, pathetic) defense, I was very depressed and lonely (not a good place to be for a hardcore extrovert who goes insane when not around people in a long time, and when I am, I get extremely obnoxious) and, ironically, I don't really know how to act around people because my social growth is pretty stunted. So yeah, complete bitch… I need to break that habit. Fortunately, I'm starting my new job at JC Penny's salon, so I won't be alone all the time (just most of the time) here's hoping I don't screw _that _up. Now that I have begged your forgiveness, here's your chapter with a little snippet at the end, as promised (EIGHT REVIEWS! EIGHT! OMG! It's almost like having friends! SO HAPPYYYYYYY!), from another fic I'm writing.

(By the way, Loki is still a girl and will be for a while longer)

This time when Loki had calmed down, he did not fall asleep. Instead, he turned to his mother and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Three days," she replied. Loki's eyes went wide.

"Three- three days?" he stammered.

"Yes, though I cannot say I am surprised. You probably have not had a decent sleep in a long time." Loki nodded.

"I haven't been able to sleep properly for the whole year," he admitted quietly. _This_ surprised Frigg.

"But, my son, why not? Before Sleipnir was born-" But Loki shook his head, not wanting to talk about it.

"How- how is Sleipnir? Has he been good?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Frigg said, obliging the young prince in his redirection of the subject, "he's very much like you were as a baby."

"Was I clever? Because he is very clever. He can say 'mama' and 'Slay-per' already!" Frigg's heart warmed at her son's pride in his child.

"Well, I haven't heard him speak," she said, "but he has a curious look that reminds me so much of you. It is as if he wants to know everything." Loki gave a shy smile, and his mother continued, "The girls simply adore him, you know, as do the stable boys when he feels like being a horse. He is a delight, truly."

"He has shifted without my influence?" Loki inquired, and his mother nodded. "That is wonderful! Usually he would take whatever form I had taken. Which one does he seem to prefer?"

"He spends most of his time as a foal, so I suppose that one," Frigg replied.

"That makes sense, he was born in that form…" The prince thought for a moment, "If- if he calls for me, will you… bring him here?" he asked hesitantly. Frigg smiled.

"Of course, love," she assured him, "however, I am afraid I cannot allow you to feed him, for you are malnourished."

"He- he does not really need it much anymore," Loki confessed, "I would give him goat or cow's milk and mush whenever I was unable to… um…" he looked uncomfortable.

"Produce?" the queen finished and he nodded. "That is to be expected, you did well, darling."

"Oh! That reminds me, I should pay Volstagg and Sigrid back for… for the food I stole…" the prince finished, looking ashamed.

"Not to worry dear, we have taken care of that, and they understand. You did what you had to do," Frigg said. Loki looked a little better, but still remorseful. Then he said something unexpected.

"Mother, I am afraid." The queen looked at him.

"Why, dear?"

"I'm- I'm still bleeding. That is why I have remained in this form, I am scared what would happen if I shifted back," the prince explained in a whisper. His mother looked thoughtful for a moment.

"All right, how about I ask Eir to take a look at you? She will be sensitive to your situation, I am sure," she offered. Loki nodded. "I will return soon," Frigg said, getting up and leaving to fetch the healer.

The prince lay back down on his side and curled himself around a pillow. His breasts hurt, as did his belly. He tried not to cry, but failed. He really was scared.

:::Eir's a nice lady:::

When Frigg returned with Eir, they found Loki curled up with his back to the door. Frigg wanted to go to him and hold him, but the healer stopped her, shaking her head.

"Do not worry, my Queen," she said in her low, soothing voice, "I will take good care of him." Reassured, Frigg stepped back and watched from a few feet away. Gently, Eir put a hand on the prince's shoulder and he looked at her, showing them he was awake. It was obvious he had been crying, as his eyes were red and puffy, but Eir did not mention it.

"Loki, I need you to turn onto your back, can you do that for me?" she said. Loki nodded and did as she told him.

"Do… do you need me to…" he began, gesturing to his legs. Eir shook her head.

"No, I can use my magic to look inside," she explained. Loki looked so relieved, it nearly broke Frigg's heart. She had seen such behavior before, in young girls who had been taken by men without their consent. To see her son act in this way, it was almost too much to bear.

Eir placed her hands lightly on the prince's belly and closed her eyes. Loki closed his eyes as well, albeit for a different reason. He was afraid of what Eir might find. He had heard of women having complications during childbirth that resulted in severe bleeding. In that case, the woman's womb sometimes had to be removed completely, and while Loki wasn't sure whether he wanted to bear another child, he wanted to have that option when he got older. He had never thought he would be able to become pregnant, but now that he had, he didn't want to give it up if he didn't have to. He rather liked being a mother.

Frigg's thoughts were similar, wondering if- should he so desire- her son would ever be able to have another child. Perhaps it was her own selfish desire for a daughter, but Loki seemed to truly enjoy motherhood. It would be a tragedy for him to discover such joy, only to have it taken away soon after. Unlike her son, the queen could see Eir's furrowed brow. It was not a good sign.

When she had finished, Eir told Loki she needed to speak with his mother, and asked if he was in any pain. Loki told her about the pain in his belly and his breasts and she cast a pain-relieving spell and told him to sleep if he could.

Outside his room, Eir gave Frigg the news she had been dreading. "His womb is bleeding, most likely because of the nature of the child and his own young age. I am sorry, but I have no choice. If I do not remove it, the womb will continue to bleed and he will never recover." Eir hated it when this sort of thing happened, especially to someone so young. She knew the happiness of being a mother as she had two children of her own, and it was always painful having to tell someone that can have no more children. However, in this case, there was hope. "I do not think this will affect his ability to become a father, my Queen. It is not a complete tragedy. Most do not have this hope, so we should be thankful that we have it." Frigg nodded. "Would you like to tell him yourself?" Eir asked.

"I think it would be best if I did," the queen answered. She took a deep breath and went back into her son's room. Eir left to get supplies she would need for the procedure. She did not wish tho be there to hear the prince's reaction to the terrible news.

Okay, so there's your nice long update. I decided to give a different explanation as to why (as far as I know) Loki only birthed one child. Sad, yes, but it fits with my idea that he is a good and loving parent, even if he can be a jerk other times.

As I Promised, here is your fic-snippet (hee, that sounds funny). It is a little excerpt from my AU fic "Kishin" where the events of the Avengers are basically the same except with a different villain, a young man who calls himself 'Kishin' which means 'Demon God' in Japanese. (Had to sneak Japan in there somewhere) I will upload the whole story along with his background if you like this. This is the scene where Loki is in the Hulk-cage and Natasha 'interrogates' him. Except in this fic, Loki is listening with Thor and the others (including his 'sister' Saiorse who is my OC) and Kishin is the one in the box. Here ya go!

Kishin was pacing his cell, once in a while swaying to music only he could hear. He then froze and said, "Well, ain't you sneaky. But not _quite_ sneaky enough"

"Bet you figured I'd come," Natasha said.

"Well, sure. You are a master spy after all, Clint told me _everything_ about you. One thing though, before we start, if were gonna do anything kinky, I'd like to establish a safe word."

"Sorry to disappoint you."

"Oh pout," the young man stuck out his lower lip. "Oh well. Anyway, I'm sure it's a safe bet that you're here about your buddy, Barton."

"I want to know what you've done to him," Natasha admitted. Kishin grinned mischievously.

"Oh, y'know. Put a hose to one of his ears and watched all rebellious thoughts pour out the other-" The spy cut him off.

"Once you've won," she said, cautiously coming closer to the glass between them, "once you've 'claimed your kingdom', what happens to his mind?"

"Oo-hoo, sounds like _somebody's _in loo-oove," the man cooed in a mocking tone, "'Tasha and Bar-ton, sittin' in a tree, F-U-C-K-" He was again cut off by the woman.

"Love is for children, I owe him a debt," she said. Kishin, who had been giving her his creepy grin, suddenly went serious.

"I don't like it when people interrupt me," he growled, low and menacing, "you saw what happened to the last guy right?" His face split into a grin again, "But! Since I've nothing else to do, why don't you tell me all about this non-romantic relationship you have with my pretty puppet."

Yeah, so this kid's a complete asshole, not to mention a psychopath who enjoys murdering people who piss him off. I like to use him as a sort of contrast to Loki, who was a good deal less insane. Especially in his treatment of Selvig and Clint. As you can probably figure out, he swears a lot, so if I do end up getting off my lazy ass and typing out his story, it'll be rated M as well.


	6. Chapter 6

I need advice, I'm not sure whether I should end this fic here and go on to the next story in the series (called 'Loki and Sigyn: A Love Story') or should I (somehow) continue although I do not know how. Let me know, please.


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